Braelon Allen

After taking the college football world by storm as a true freshman in 2021 and then seeing his production dip slightly last season, the pressure is on Allen to remind the country why he should be considered one of the top backs nationwide. Last year, Allen still displayed the same vision, power and burst that helped him run wild as a freshman, but the Badgers’ offense was largely lethargic. Uninspiring play-calling and shaky quarterback play factored into his slight regression last season, but the tailback still managed to post 1,242 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. Now, under new offensive coordinator Phil Longo, Allen looks primed to explode in 2023. Longo’s spread system stretches defenses out horizontally pre-snap, which should greatly reduce the number of stacked boxes Allen will face. And while Longo’s offense is technically an air-raid, he loves to utilize talented running backs when he has them. Allen will share the backfield with another talented back in Chez Mellusi, but he’s still the unquestioned RB1 in Madison.